Brian Jones is signing up with the former Massachusetts governor's senior strategy team. Jones is a veteran of five presidential campaigns, including Sen. John McCain's 2008 presidential bid and President George W. Bush's successful 2004 re-election, and also served as communications director for the Republican National Committee.FULL POST

Washington (CNN) – The Democratic-controlled Senate on Wednesday rejected two proposed versions for a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution - a setback to GOP leaders and conservative activists who say the measure is necessary to end the federal government's spiraling deficit spending.

A Democratic version opposed by Republicans fell on a 21-79 vote. Then a Republican version also failed to get the two-thirds majority required with a 47-53 vote.

Neola, Iowa (CNN) - Welcome to the first day of Gov. Rick Perry's Iowa bus tour. With three stops across the Western part of the state Wednesday beginning with a town hall meeting in Council Bluffs, Perry kicks off a three-week trip around the Hawkeye State that will go right up until the caucuses on January 3.

While the campaign has yet to announce all of the stops, there are currently 47 events on the governor's schedule, including a mix of rallies, meet-and-greets, walks down Main Streets, lunches, fundraisers and even a few church visits.FULL POST

Romney was responding to a call from Gingrich to return the money he made at Bain Capital, a private equity firm he helped found in the 1980s. On Monday Gingrich said Romney and his company were responsible for "bankrupting companies and laying off employees."FULL POST

Manchester, New Hampshire (CNN) – Mitt Romney’s campaign is keeping up its drumbeat of attacks on Newt Gingrich with another web video hitting the former House speaker’s collaboration with Nancy Pelosi.

The video, called “Newt and Nancy,” ties Gingrich to Pelosi and former Vice President Al Gore for their work on climate change awareness.FULL POST

(CNN) – Political 'troublemaker' Christine O'Donnell revealed she will back former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for president Tuesday and touted his "executive experience and consistency" in an interview Wednesday morning, where she also took aim at Romney's rival for the GOP nomination.

O'Donnell told CNN "American Morning" anchor Carol Costello that she'd "thought a lot" about her decision and hoped her endorsement will cause others to give Romney a "second look."FULL POST

CNN: House passes payroll tax plan opposed by Obama
Another Washington political showdown took shape Tuesday as the House of Representatives passed a Republican plan that would extend the payroll tax cut and speed the process for government approval of the Keystone XL oil pipeline.